Matt Forte may be out Sunday against the Jaguars, but the Jets running back still has plenty to offer even when he’s not on the field.

An eight-year veteran, Forte recently sat down with Jets Wire for an exclusive interview. He covered a variety of topics, including leadership. He also offered his thoughts on New York’s running back by committee approach, his upbringing as a dual-threat back, Josh McCown and more.

Take a look at what Forte had to say:

Q: First off, how’s your toe doing? Still any pain?

A: It’s a little sore. I’ve had turf toe before, it was my rookie year. The same thing kind of happened, my foot was planted in the ground and I was on the one-inch line and someone’s body fell on the back of my heel, jamming my toe into the turf and hyperextending it a little bit. The only thing that’s different about this one is I had to have a boot nine years ago when I was a rookie. This time, I’m walking comfortably and I’m confident that I won’t have to miss much time, if any.

Q: Now that you guys are three games in, how is your body feeling and how are you feeling mentally?

A: I think as a team we’re more in the routine of the season now. Throughout the preseason, you kind of get into a routine of playing football, but not like games because you don’t play a full game. I think throughout the first three weeks of the season we’ve rounded a corner. Offensively we’ve been able to move the ball better these last two weeks and our defense played lights out last week. If we can continue to do that as a team, I think we’ll be pretty good down the stretch.

Q: Do you think that the running back by committee approach that John Morton is taking is beneficial to you in terms of keeping you fresh deep into games?

A: It does because last week, especially, it was about 120-130 degrees on the turf because the rubber makes it hotter down there. Even when I was in there at halftime and in the third quarter, I felt fresh. We have three capable backs in Bilal Powell, who can run routes and catch the ball and he’s a great runner too, as well as Eli. He’s young but he’s learning. What better way to learn than game experience? It’s best to be in there when you’re fresh and not take a play off.

Q: How was the running back by committee idea received by all three backs?

A: We all kind of already knew that was the role we were taking. Even last year just me and Bilal spent time splitting the running back duties, so everyone was cool with it and we all know that we can do it.

Q: Is it an adjustment for you no longer being a featured back?

A: The only thing that’s different is it’s a little tougher to get into a rhythm as a running back. Sometimes when you’re in there a couple of plays and then you come out, it’s difficult given in Chicago I was in there every play. It’s a mindset that you know when you go in there, you give it your all on that play because you don’t know when you might be going back in, and you give it your all on every play anyway.

Q: Coming up as a young running back, was becoming a threat in a variety of ways out of the backfield a priority of yours?

A: I always looked up to running backs like Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk, who were dual threats and could run routes and catch the ball. That was also brought up in college where they had a guy who just graduated named Mewelde Moore and he played nine years in the league. He came out of Tulane and I looked up to him as well. I watched his film and he ran the ball and had great vision, but he caught the ball as well. So, I knew I had to run, catch and block if I wanted to make it to the next level and be an every-down back.

Q: Is there any wide receiver in your background, or is catching the ball out of the backfield something you put a lot of time into perfecting?

A: It’s something you work at. Since college, I’ve been on the jugs machine, catching balls at different angles and all that. In college, I did one-on-ones against the DBs and doing that in practice and getting used to running routes how receivers run them, you’re not on foreign territory out there.

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Q: Do you see any of yourself in Bilal Powell given his versatility?

A: He’s smooth and I see the vision that he has out there. With route running, he’s very crisp and runs his routes just like a receiver as well. He has very good hands and I do see a lot of similarities out there.

Q: What about Elijah? What have you seen out of him so far?

A: A lot of the same thing, but both of them have a little different body types than I do. He’s good at running routes and he still has a lot of work to do on that aspect. He’s more of a choppy-step kind of guy, while receivers are sudden and quick, he has a lot to learn in that aspect. But, he has good hands and some guys come in and they’re not used to the strong arms of the NFL quarterbacks, but he’s come in and done a good job and impressed everyone.

Q: Is it easier to relate to Elijah given that you both come from small schools?

A: Yeah, and he’s from Louisiana too and he’s close by from where I’m from. It’s easy to relate to him and he’s a good kid too, so it’s easy for me to take him under my wing and show him the ropes.

Q: What has Jamal Adams done to impress you coming in as a rookie?

A: He came in and took a leadership role from day one, and that was something that the team needed and we knew that was the type of character that he had. We had a lot of meetings off the field as players and I told him, ‘Just because you’re a rookie don’t think you can’t step up and be vocal and take a leadership role’ because a guy like him, he’s starting on the defense as a top pick. You’re going to have to show everyone that you can handle this role and he’s done that.

Q: Have you seen any differences from Josh McCown from the time you spent with him in Chicago to now?

A: Not really. Josh was already in Year 11 or 12 (of his career) at that point, so he already knew the game. He’s consistent and he’s a hard worker, one of the first ones in and the last one to leave. That’s the kind of guy that he is, he’ll study the opponent blue in the face and being back there with him brings a real level of confidence.

Q: Does it matter whether your head coach is a defensive or offensive guy?

A: It doesn’t make much of a difference, it’s just where the coach is going to spend most of his time. Lovie (Smith) spent most of his time with the defense, (Marc) Trestman spent most of his time with the defense, and in my last year in Chicago (John) Fox spent a lot of his time with the defense. (Todd) Bowles spends some time with the offense, but most of it with the defense. Normally, you just gravitate to whoever your coordinator and your running backs coach is. That’s where you get most of your time and that’s who we talk to the most.

Q: What do you tell the young guys to keep them focused and not worrying about what the media has to say about the team?

A: I just show them from experience and being through seasons where the media has written you off, be an example to them to block out the noise and focus on what’s important – what’s going on in the locker room. Teams aren’t going to go out there and lay down for us and we’re not going to lay down for them, regardless of what the media says.